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Reviews & Commentary by Adam Groves
RINGMASTER
The one and only Jerry Springer movie
MR. INDIA
The first and only INVISIBLE MAN inspired science fiction themed musical melodrama
WONKA: THE SCANDAL THAT ROCKED BRITAIN
The definitive documentary account of the Glasgow, Scotland based WILLY’S CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE fiasco
VAMPYRES
An almost-classic of British horror from 1974
CRUSH (1992)
A product of the nineties indie film scene, when dark and twisted were in and commercial considerations were very much out
VAMPIRES: STORIES OF THE SUPERNATURAL
This anthology contains four tales of the supernatural, written by Leo Tolstoy’s cousin Alexis
A DOG’S HEAD
A sui generis example of big-hearted fantasy spiced with unsentimental magic realism
COYOTE
COYOTE may be an extended hallucination or an eccentric first-person crime saga; either way, it’s a deeply chilly and upsetting book
SICK
A promising but not entirely successful horror novel that debuted at the wrong time
GHOSTS IN THE SWAMP
A long-forgotten German horror-science fiction-fantasy epic, translated by indefatigable Joe E. Bandel
LANDIS: THE STORY OF A REAL MAN ON 42nd STREET
A must-read due to the fact that, simply, this is the only biography that exists on SLEAZOID EXPRESS’ late Bill Landis (1959-2008)
HOLLYWOOD ENDING: HARVEY WEINSTEIN AND THE CULTURE OF SILENCE
The latest in a long line of nonfiction accounts of the crimes committed by Harvey Weinstein
I LOST IT AT THE VIDEO STORE
This short and sweet oral history of the VHS era is enjoyable enough, but far from the definitive book on the subject
THE CANNON FILM GUIDE Volume II (1985-1987)
Anyone who’s read my review of volume one of THE CANNON FILM GUIDE will know I’m quite partial to it. Now volume two is here, and I say it’s even better
CIMINO: THE DEER HUNTER, HEAVEN’S GATE AND THE PRICE OF A VISION
A frustrating and inconclusive book, although that’s an inevitability give its subject: the notoriously hermetic Michael Cimino
THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST at 35
On the most controversial film of our time
TV Flashback: DARK DREAMERS
I’m not sure how Stanley Wiater managed to convince a Canadian TV channel to broadcast a show comprised entirely of interviews with horror writers and filmmakers, but I’m glad he did
William Friedkin’s Films, Ranked
On August 7, 2023, film director extraordinaire William Friedkin, a.k.a. Hurricane Billy, passed away. Here’s my ranking of his 20 features.
Barbie, Movie Star?
On the Barbie headlined films SUPERSTAR: THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY, BARBIE (1977), COOL KIDS HIGH and DOLLA MORTE.
FLICKER vs. ANCIENT IMAGES
I’ve always believed that in the category of movie-themed fiction horror is the ideal genre, as proven by FLICKER by Theodore Roszak and ANCIENT IMAGES by Ramsey Campbell